Just Beyond the Stars
by Itako no Anna Kyoyama
Summary: AU, Anna is a teen struggling to deal with her abilities. Yet when a myseterious youth from a world just beyond the stars shows up and offers her help, will she leave behind her life and fiance, or never learn to cope with who she is? Chapter four up!
1. Chapter 1

First chapter fic, and AU. Rated for suggestive themes, and alcohol use, minor angst, and violence.

It's a lovely Peter Pan meets Shaman King spoof, and I hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King or any of the characters. Takei sensei does. I wish I did though.**

Pairings:

YohxAnna

HaoxAnna

**-----------Chapter One------------**

Outside, the wind could be heard howling, like so many voices, raised in unison. The voices whipped at the tree leaves as though punishing them for their agony and the rain lashed like a thousand knives upon the lamp-lit street.

Occasionally, when the wind grew stronger, there was the soft pitter patter of those same rain drops against the glass of the window.

_Pitter patter, pitter patter…_

It was like an orchestra, a band moving all in beautiful disarray. Never was the rhythm the same, never was there a set beat, and yet, it was a beautiful sound that could make the strongest of hearts grieve and long for things they couldn't name.

So was the case for Anna Kyoyama, seated quietly in front of her computer, her fingers moving over the keyboard in the same unset tune as the rain, poetry spilling from her and onto the bright, glaring screen before her through some mechanical wonder she didn't care to know about.

Dark eyes focused solely on this sight, the blonde didn't let her fingers stray from their tapping, the clickity-clack of the keyboard now intermingling with the sound of the thunder outside—the distant thunder that wasn't quite there yet, and the lightening that wasn't bright enough to illuminate her room fully. The lights were turned off, the one source being the garish white of the word document that her words spilled across, the mechanical clock controlled by yet another mechanism she didn't care to understand reading the digits '11:54' tauntingly. It was near midnight, and yet the gentle sounds of the moaning storm and the sleeping pills she had taken hours ago failed to induce anything in the form of weariness.

And so she typed…

'_When Mother lays me down to sleep, _

_And prays the Lord my soul to keep,_

_I wonder, if I die before I wake,_

_Will you be there,_

_My soul to take?_

_And if I fall and never rise,_

_And Father dries the tears he cries_

_Will you hold out your arms to me,_

_And make the world_

_Mine to keep?_

_And shadowed words that hold no truth,_

_Will then spill forth in constant loops;_

_I will not hold your hand in mine_

_My soul is mine,_

_My soul is mine…'_

After a long moment of simply staring at the work before her, there was a click at the small 'x' at the top of the document. A message asked if her she wanted to save before exiting—the cursor of her mouse hesitated over the yes, and then moved to 'no'. The window closed, and the poem was gone.

It didn't matter; it was no good, anyways.

The little minute counter on the digitized clock flicked to midnight, and the grandfather clock in the hallway gave a loud chime—the blonde counted each one. Twelve. Twelve loud, echoing chimes that reverberated through the hallway and reminded Anna of a horror movie. Twelfth hour of the night, and at the same time, the first true hour of the day. She wondered, at this magical hour, what could happen. All things were possible in those few split milliseconds, where it was neither today, nor tomorrow, nor yesterday. But as soon as a thought of the magical moment crossed, so the moment was gone, and it was today and that was yesterday, and tomorrow was a full day away.

A slender, pale hand came up to run through the blonde tresses of the seventeen year old; not in an attempt to tame the mess, but in an attempt to calm herself and give her hands something to do. She needed something to do, and poetry obviously wasn't working. The monstrous piece of crap she had just produced had been proof enough of that.

Something told her that later, she'd regret not saving it.

Oh well. She could always attempt to rewrite it later, perhaps with a few changes that would make it more to her liking.

For her, writing was an escape: an escape from the mundane life of school, an escape from the pressure of her parent's constant arguing, and mostly…from who she was. Who she really, deeply was.

Or perhaps, it was who she was not that she wanted to escape from.

Anna, on the general, appeared to have it pretty well. A rich, upper class family, a pampered only child, straight A's, and a rare form of beauty that was not common in Tokyo. Her blonde hair, porcelain moonshine skin, and deep, mysterious brown eyes set her apart from the traditional dark haired, tanned skin girls that she attended Shinra Private Academy with. She even had a fiancé…mayhap one that had been picked out for her by her parents, but a fiancé never the less.

She couldn't even say she was too terribly cursed to be engaged to Yoh Asakura. He was indeed a good-looking young man, a year older than her, with a laid back personality and an easy-going smile that she had hated the minute she laid eyes on it.

But that…was because of who she was…

Let's rewind a bit, shall we? Back track to ten years ago, when seven year old Anna lay in bed and cried and screamed for her dead dog to come back from Heaven and lay at her feet again.

She had cried herself to sleep, and when she had woken, there had been Tommy, the little cocker spaniel, wagging his tail happily at her from beside her bed.

The seven year old had screamed.

She had gotten in trouble. Her parents could not see Tommy, and they told her it was a sick, cruel joke to play, and not at all good to joke around about. They had sat her down and told her Tommy was dead and gone for good, and that saying things like that was a horrible, horrible thing to do.

All the while, her small brown eyes had been fixated on the little dog that was curled up next to the couch, snoring contently.

Now, fast forward about two months later, to Anna's eighth birthday. She had been allowed to invite two friends, and the rest were rich adults that her mummy and pappy worked with. But that was ok. Little Anna stood there in front of her mirror, in her white, frilly dress that mummy had bought especially for today, her hair specially curled into ringlets, and a white rose embroidered delicately over her left ear, woven into her hair. And around her neck, was her gift from pappy—a genuine pearl necklace, each pearl perfectly rounded and polished a gleaming white, all identical in size. It was her pride and joy, and she couldn't wait to show it to her friends, Pirika and Tamao.

And so, clinging to her pappy's hand, she let herself be lead downstairs. Everyone was dressed in beautiful gowns and suits, since her parents had made this into an expensive party, with a fun time for the adults after the children had gone to bed for the night. Little Anna was beaming with the brightest smile, and waited for each person to coo over her—she knew she looked adorable!

'…_little brat…'_

That was the first thing she heard. Blinking, the young girl looked around for who would say such a thing, but everyone was beaming at her, and complimenting her. Blinking, her nervous hands smoothed the front of her petticoat. Had she imagined it..?

'_She thinks she's so special. Heh, she's a piece of filth. Her mother only married because of the money…'_

'_Look at that, real pearls! What a brat. She doesn't even look Japanese. And they say she sees things. Demon.'_

'_Demon'_

'_Filth'_

'_Product of a whore'_

By this point, the small girl was in a panicked mode—everyone around her was smiling and chattering happily, and she couldn't seem to find who was saying such things! And such mean, nasty things…she wasn't a demon, and mummy loved pappy!

But the voices kept taunting her, until the point that she excused herself from the crowd, and rushed off to find her friends. The farther away she got, the quieter the voices, until it was nothing but a distant murmur.

Tommy following behind her—she could still see him, though no one else could, the blonde girl made her way to a quiet corner, and knelt to pet the puppy affectionately, giggling as he gave an appreciative bark, and wagged his tail so hard that the entirety of him quaked with happiness.

"What are you doing?"

A startled gasp, and Anna quickly stood, folding her hands behind her back. There, peering at her with matching expressions that clearly said 'you're weird', were Pirika and Tamao. Pirika, in her blue frock, with a matching headband, and Tamao in a lacey tan one that matched Pirika's perfectly. They were beautiful frocks, and looked expensive, and the eight year old couldn't help but be slightly jealous.

"Anna-chan, what were you doing just now?" Repeated Tamao, in that quiet, delicate voice of hers. Anna blushed. "N-nothing.." she stammered, and scuffed a foot along the ground.

'_Liar…'_

"I'm not lying!" She jumped, shaking her head so fast that her ringlets whipped against her cheeks. Pirika blinked at her. "No one said you were, Anna-chan."

'_She's so weird…Mamma didn't want me to come, 'cause she thinks Anna talks with demons…maybe that's what she was doing.'_

A gulp, as the young girl swallowed hard, and watched her friends. Neither of them had moved their mouths the slightest, but that had been Pirika's voice she heard…

For the young girl, this was getting to be too much. She tried not to think about those voices, and remembered the pearls around her neck. Her bright eyes lit up. "Oh! Look what pappy got me!" Her hands went to the necklace and unfastened it so she could hold it up to the light, where it sparkled and glistened. Her friends leaned in and 'ooohed' appropriately…and yet…

'_What did she do to deserve that? She's going to break it or somethin'! Da says she's a demon. It's not fair. I want it.'_

That…had been Tamao's voice, and yet, at this same moment, Tamao was speaking brightly, in a cheery voice, about how lucky Anna was, and asking if she could try it on. Again, the voices, and the mixture of spoken words, were getting to be too much for her.

They kept building. People were approaching for refreshments, and the voices crashed over her. She dimly registered Tamao putting on the pearls.

'_Demon, demon, Anna's a demon… '_ The voices seemed to taunt, and it was too loud.

She remembered reaching for her pearls to snatch them back, and Tamao screaming. She remembered the pearls, her perfect strand, her prized possession from pappy, shattering into a million pieces on the floor. She remembered standing with her hands covering her ears, yelling loudly, screaming that she wasn't a demon. And even with her hands over her ears, she could hear them…

Everyone had gone home early. She had been punished, and pappy had never bought her a new strand of pearls.

She was a bad girl, who played pranks, and beat up her friends.

She had embarrassed her parents.

Girls like her didn't get pearls.

After that, four years passed. Research had put a name to her abilities—one, the ability to call spirits from the after life, made her an Itako, a rare and powerful form of Shaman. The other was a much more mysterious ability…the Reishi. The ability to see into the hearts of others.

It wasn't until she was twelve that she figured this out.

For the four years that she spent believing she really was a possessed demon, she changed. She shut herself in her room, and her eyes lost their youthful glow. Her skin grew paler, her hair lighter, giving her the fragile appearance of a painted doll. Pirika and Tamao had spoken to her possibly twice after the incident, one being a forced meeting so that they could all apologize to one another.

Even then, Anna could hear them. They didn't mean it. They were promised ice cream afterwards, if they apologized to the demon girl.

Her inability to control what she heard drove her to shut herself down, using every possible excuse to keep from mingling with the public. She did all she could think of to learn to control it, but fear kept her from seeking help. She was already thought to be a demon.

Perhaps she was.

She slowly learned to control it, around small groups of people—but crowds were hell. School became her dreaded enemy, and she spent many days trying to shut everything out. As a result, she quit smiling, and always bore a constant void expression, treating everybody with the utmost contempt, and holding her head high above them. Names mingled in with 'demon' now. 'Ice queen'. 'Wench'. By the time she was twelve, she had a record of treating people coldly, distantly. People no longer talked to her, or tried to befriend her.

That was fine.

When she finally learned what her abilities were, she was so used to believing she was indeed a demon, that she had not readily accepted it. But it all made sense, after a while. Yet knowing what it was, had not helped her to control it.

And so she did not smile.

When she had met Yoh Asakura at the age of fourteen, and learned that he was her fiancé, she had been appalled. He, she knew, had to be like everyone else. Behind that lazy, goofy smile, he probably thought she was a demon, like everyone else.

And so she had opened her mind to the Reishi.

'…_She looks alright. I wonder if they have a kitchen here. I'm starving. Oh, look, a butterfly…would it be rude to put on my headphones? I want BOB love…maybe I should talk to her. She looks kind of sad. I wonder if I can help. I hope she likes me. Hey, another butterfly…'_

Not only had the thoughts she received from the other amazed her, but they had also almost made her smile.

Instantly, she hated him. He had broken her façade. She hated him. She had told him that.

Now, three years later, she didn't hate him. Everything about him, from his goofy orange headset, to his laid back attitude, to his smile, to his idiotic antics, were things she had grown used to—things she dare say she cherished. No, she wasn't too terribly cursed. He was from a good, well known family, the Asakuras. They were somewhat shady, because no one really knew what they did for a living, and their interest in Anna was starting to get out as well. It wasn't good for their reputation. But they had money, and her parents would accept anyone right now.

And after all, Yoh could see Tommy as well.

"Isn't that right, Tommy?" Cooed the girl, and the ghost dog yipped and hopped into her lap, where she gave him a slight pat on the head. Her eyes went to the digitalized clock again.

One in the morning. She had spent an hour submerged in memories. At least drowsiness was finally kicking in…

Flicking off the monitor of her computer, and listening momentarily to the mechanical hum die down and then go quiet, the Itako clambered under the warm covers of her bed, and let sleep take her.

At the very least, Yoh could see Tommy.

**---Chapter End---**

Ok, next chapter, we get into the really interesting stuff. I promise an appearance of Hao-sama, and a few other people. Oh, and for those who are fans of Tamao and Pirika, please don't bash me! cowers That was their cameo appearance, I'm not sure if they'll show back up. Anyways, please R&R.


	2. Chapter 2

Authoress's note: Thank you to my reviewers and readers! I know the first chapter was sort of rough, but as promised, more character will be introduced this time around!If you pay close attention, you will notice that I'll be trying to keep many facts from the original series in this AU fiction as well.

If you look really close, you may even find a few hints as to how this will end.

No warnings for this chapter, folks, but if I don't have at least ten reviews in total, I may put this fic on Hiatus, so that I can focus a bit more on senior year. So I guess that means you need to review huh?

Now, on to the story!

-----------------Chapter Two-------------------

"Hm…"

Staring out over the venue of the city, the man placed a delicate, gloved hand on the ground behind him. His legs set Indian style, his head thrown back to take in the sites, poncho blowing gracefully in the wind…

Today was the day.

He had been watching for a year now. He had watched her struggle with her 'curse'.

He had read her mind.

He had seen her desire to get away from this place, this Earth. Her desire to be accepted.

To learn to accept herself.

Today…he would grant that wish.

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Anna jerked awake as though someone had blown a horn in her ear, sitting straight up in her bed, her eyes wide. Tommy raised his head to look at her questioningly from the foot of her bed, his large chocolate eyes making sure she was ok, before he lay back down, snorting through his nose.

The sun was just coming up on the horizon and the red digits of her alarm clock screamed at her that she had barely been asleep for four hours. She shouldn't have woken up. It wasn't like her, really. Anna was quite used to falling asleep and staying that way until her alarm went off.

Nothing, and no one woke her up, other than her alarm clock. That was just how it had always been. She would slap anyone who dared attempt otherwise, whether she be asleep or awake when she did it. So why, after a mere four hours, had she suddenly woken? She couldn't shake the strange feeling that something was slightly off, but after letting her wary eyes scan the room, she could find nothing out of place.

Of course, the smidgeons of sunlight filtering through the glass pane of the double doors that lead to her balcony didn't do much to illuminate the room, either. Shadows lurked in strange places and for a moment, the blonde felt herself giving into the childish fears of a ten year old, complete with the compulsion to check under her bed and then hide herself under the covers.

After all, following that same logic, if she couldn't see them, they couldn't see her.

Which, of course, she knew better. Proof was right at her feet. Tommy could see her parents, but her parents couldn't see him. And, to make this all the more ridiculous, Tommy was a ghost.

So, therefore, she'd be able to see any other ghosts or spirits in her room.

Which meant whatever was in there wasn't…

"Stop it!" She chided herself aloud, her voice seeming to echo in the early morning hours. This was purely ridiculous. Obviously, she had simply had a bad dream that she couldn't recall now. Or maybe she had rolled over on something, or hit her head…

Whatever it had been, she was wide awake now. Her eyes wandered back to the red digits of the clock, watching as it flipped to the next minute.

"Five in the morning…" Scowling, she tossed the covers off her and stepped into her slippers, leaving the matting and padding softly to the windows. At the very least, she could enjoy the sunrise. It was so quiet at this hour, with only a few cars on the roads outside, the birds stirring in their nests, calling to each other in greeting, chattering over where they would hunt for breakfast. At the thought, a soft smile flitted over her lips, one pale hand coming up to press against the clear glass, leaning closer, her breath misting over it slightly each time she exhaled. She could step onto her balcony to view the sunrise, but she knew it would be cold at this hour and hadn't bothered with a robe. Instead, she took in the peaceful sight through the restraining material that kept her from it.

The horizon was painted in shades of blue and purple that couldn't be captured even in photos, and lower, where the sun it's self resided, it blended smoothly into pinks, yellows…an effect that no artist could ever capture, and yet, so breathtakingly stunning. Anna imagined a beautiful young woman holding out her hands, offering all of the colors to the sky, and in return, the sky swept her up into its gentle embrace, and gave her to the sun and the moon, and she herself became a beautiful color…

She wanted to disappear into the sky.

_HOOOOONK. BREEEEP._

The noises of the day began outside; the church nearby telling her she had spent an hour watching the sun rise. Six, already? It couldn't possibly be. She'd only been standing at the window for maybe five minutes…

Yet upon casting her gaze back to her alarm clock, the numbers there defied her and agreed with the beings outside.

Sunrise was over and day had begun. In about an hour, she would have to start getting ready for school.

Her eyes wandered at her bed again. Should she try for another hour?

No.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indeed, day had officially arrived. Taking another bite of her apple, the blonde let her wooden sandals carry her further down the street, past the bustling coffee shops, the businesses opening for the day, the taxis filling with rushed people, the traffic honking and filling the air with an annoying buzz.

She couldn't see the sky much past the tall buildings and the smog of Tokyo.

So she didn't try.

Deafly, she discarded the core of her apple in a nearby trash can, using her now-free hand to smooth her blouse and the green skirt of the academy. This was her last year, and then, she would move to America. She would study at a University there, come back, and be a doctor. A respectable profession for a respectable woman from what her parents hoped she would someday rebuild into a respectable family.

Weaving through the crowd, she followed a memorized path all the way to Shinra Private Academy, where she was immediately greeted by the same thing as every other day: the bustling kids, the idiotic squeals of some girl fawning over a magazine model with her friends, the boys swapping stories from their weekend, making bets over which of the girls had a shorter skirt.

How disgusting.

Coming to a complete halt in front of the large building, she gazed up at it for a long moment, and then let her eyes fall shut and took a deep breath. Another day in paradise.

Right.

She could hear the whispers as she walked past, feel the stares, and see the fingers.

'_There, her. She thinks she's so much better than anyone else…'_

'_If she wasn't engaged to that Asakura boy, I'd have knocked her down a few pegs a while back. But they're such a shady family. Probably part of the mafia…'_

'_Why is she with Yoh, anyways? His family is weird but he's such a sweet guy…and she's a total bitch!'_

How absurd. Anna tried to block out the whispers, as she did everyday. You'd think they'd get bored after a while, really.

She was looking for two people, anyways. One would be very hard to spot, as he was much too short to be seen in the crowd, but the bright orange head phones the other one wore would make up for it. Smoothing a strand of blonde hair out of her face, her feet carried her to the place she normal met them. In a matter of moments, she was there, greeted by none other than…

"Yoh, Manta. Good morning."

As if on cue, the two looked at her: Yoh, his hands fastened behind his head, gave a sheepish smile. "Morning, Anna."

"Ohayo, Anna." She had to look down to see who said this. Leaning against the lowest rail of the stairway was Manta, who, bless his heart, had grown maybe four inches since she had met him at thirteen. He still hadn't reached past four feet in height.

In truth, she had known Manta longer than Yoh, and there was a silent, unspoken relationship between the two. Manta had been the first person she'd ever met who could also see spirits, but that seemed to be the limit of his abilities. Still, it had drawn her to him, and there was a shared respect for one another.

It still didn't stop her from bossing him around.

A nod to her vertically-challenged friend, and she brought her eyes back to Yoh; the faint hum of his headphones met her ears, meaning he was listening to BOB love, as usual. He hadn't changed a bit since she'd met him three years ago, except maybe…

Well, he looked older. That was as far into that topic as Anna had ever allowed herself to venture. She and the physical really did not mix too well.

"Yoh, did you finish reading the assigned chapter for physics?" Hands on her hips, she waited for the little play that would come now.

Yoh blinked. His grin grew more sheepish and he rubbed at the back of his head nervously. She could almost mouth the next words with him.

"We had to read?"

It really was the same thing every morning.

"Yes, we had to read and take notes, Yoh-kun!" Manta piped, shaking his head in disdain at the lack of brain capacity his laid-back friend had. Again, Anna could almost mouth the next words for him.

"Ah…really? Daijobu datte…"

After three years, Anna knew that was his catch phrase. 'Daijobu datte'. Everything will work out. But when it came to school, it rarely did. Perhaps in every other aspect of his life, the motto came to the rescue…but not in school.

"Yoh." The brunette winced at his fiancé's stern tone, and he too could almost mouth the exact words that she would say. "You're failing three classes."

That hadn't been what he had expected. Surprised, he blinked at her. "I…am?"

Both Manta and the blonde Itako sweat dropped, and Manta squeaked something about how obvious it was, wondering aloud how Yoh didn't know. Anna merely shook her head, dark eyes moving towards the entrance of the school as the first bell rang. She turned on her heel to march inside, her perfectly calm, mightier-than-thou air in place, nose held slightly in the air. "I expect you to try harder. No fiancé of mine is going to be a drop out."

With a defeated sigh, Yoh followed her in, Manta tagging along and giving his friend reassurances.

A few yards back, leaning against a tree, was a figure that made some of the passing girls stop and stare, before running off to grab the attention of other friends.

Clad in the school uniform, yet somehow managing to make it look like casual wear—yet another student the teachers would eventually give up on, for he, like Yoh, would never button his shirt fully—was a man that looked remarkably like the fiancé of Anna Kyoyama. With his long hair tied back, the resemblance was even more striking, but there was something distinctly feminine about him, at the same time. A sort of composed grace…

He watched Anna go. He watched the one that resembled him follow her in, followed by the midget.

He laughed.

And then he, too, went inside.

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First period. Physics. It seemed to be a favorite pastime of their teacher to call on Yoh for each and every question, knowing that the boy hadn't done a bit of homework. Manta, in the desk next to him, was palming his forehead and feeling embarrassed for the other, Yoh was laughing nervously at each question and spouting off answers that drew quiet snickers from classmates, and Anna, a desk behind him, would intensify her glare upon his back with each failure, so that by the third question, Yoh could almost feel physical heat from her gaze.

Another normal day.

Akio-sensei opened his mouth to correct Yoh's most recent lame attempt at an answer, and possibly give him yet another, 'simpler' question, when the door swung open and the school secretary motioned for the exasperated teacher to step outside into the hall. Yoh let out a relieved sigh, then winced as he felt Anna's hand make sharp contact with the back of his head. "Nani!" He turned partially in his desk to look at her, and she opened her mouth to speak, but their conversation was cut off by Akio-sensei reentering, followed by a sight that made a few of the girls in the class gasp. Even Anna's eyes widened, but not for the reasons of those around her.

He looked…like Yoh.

"We have a new student from Kyoto, Asakura Hao. Everyone, please welcome him to the class."

A murmur went around immediately and Yoh blinked, even as everyone bowed their heads respectfully and issued a 'Welcome, Asakura-san.'

Her eyes followed him. He looked too much like Yoh, and there was something else about him that sent a silent chill down her spine…Anna swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and kept her expression indifferent. Yoh didn't seem to know this person, either, yet they had the same last name.

Perhaps it was just coincidence?

But the strange feeling didn't leave, and she had the raging compulsion to slap Akio-sensei when Hao was pointed to take the desk next to her. Almost every eye in the class followed him to the desk, and he just gave a wave and a smile that again sent a pang of recognition through her.

"Yo!"

Anna couldn't concentrate on another word Akio-sensei said for the rest of the lesson.

-----------------End Chapter-------------------

Aha, I know it was short this time around. But as promised, Hao was introduced—if you didn't catch that was him in the beginning, I really need to work on my writing. Excuse the choppiness and the lack of flow in this chapter, I'm extremely tired and haven't slept tonight. Please review, if you want me to continue.

On another note: There are going to be some huge plot twists once I get this thing going. It's slow right now so forgive me, but once it gets farther in, things will get interesting. If you're wondering how they have the same last name, it'll be explained later.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Ok, I've decided to do those wonderful comments to your reviewers. Because I love my reviewers. However, that will be at the END of the chapter so you must read on to get your personalized response. 3

As it normally goes, I do not own Shaman King or the characters in this story. I DO own the plot and story it's self.

A note on this chapter: Many of the customs mentioned in this chapter may be confusing if you are not familiar with Japanese school systems. I will do my best to work explanations in, but if you're still confused, please say what confuses you in your review and I'll answer your question next chapter!

Now, on to the chapter!

**--------------Chapter Three---------------**

She really wished they could be more like American schools. At least in America, they switched classes, and had different people…but not here. No, here in Japan they stayed in one class together all day, and their teachers came to them.

This, of course, meant she sat next to Hao the entirety of the day. Which may not have been so bad, except for the note that appeared on her desk half-way through math. She blinked at the piece of paper. A note? Who in their right mind would write her a note? She picked it up, and began to open it, when there was a hushed 'no!' from near her. Her brown eyes found the source of this, and lo and behold, it was a girl in her class, frantically motioning for her to give the note to Hao.

Anna twitched once. She had the compulsion to deliver the note to their Sensei, but instead begrudgingly passed the note to Hao, who was watching expectantly.

The rustle of paper. The silence as her new classmate read the neatly written words of the girl. And then, he wrote something, and gave it back to Anna. She had the new compulsion to beat her head on the desk. When had she become messenger girl? However, the note found its way to its original owner.

Oh, Great Spirits. The girl read it, blushed, giggled, and then looked at Hao.

And heaven forbid, Hao winked.

It might as well have been a shojo anime. Anna spent the entirety of the period passing the note back and forth, barely getting any of her notes taken, and was about at the bursting point when the bell signaling for lunch rang. The blonde had never been out of her seat faster. If she had to stay next to the giggling dimwit of a female or the idiotic, and, she presumed, playboy next to her, she'd blow a fuse.

So what really did her in was when she reached for her last book, and saw another pair of hands get there first. Her eyes raised slowly, as though dreading what she would see…and there, her book clasped firmly in his hands, was the last person she wanted to see right now. Hao. He flashed her a smile, and she opened her mouth to tell him to piss off and go off with his new friend, but he beat her to speaking.

"Can you show me where you usually eat lunch?" He asked casually, innocently, blinking at her. "I'll carry your books for you."

She cast a glance towards the door. Yoh and Manta were watching her, waiting, wearing matching expressions of confusion—though Manta looked slightly impatient as well. Anna's eyes shifted back to the newcomer. "Pfft. Why don't you get your new friend to show you around? I barely got anything done, thanks to the two of you." She spat, reaching for her last book. So what if she had a lot to carry? No way she was going to let this strange Yoh-look alike carry anything of hers. She already disliked him—nothing new for her, of course—and usually people stayed a good distance from her, even when they first arrived. She didn't know if rumors flew that fast, or if she just seemed that unapproachable, but either way, she didn't really mind. She preferred it that way.

So why the hell was he bothering her?

Well, at the very least, he'd leave her alone now that she'd made it very clear that she wasn't interested. Right?

Oh, she was so wrong.

He flashed that annoying smile again that reminded her of Yoh and eased another of her books from her hand—her notebook, this time, and flicked it open, quickly reading the name on top. "Anna-chan…ah! What a nice name!" The brunette rolled the syllables over his tongue as though savoring something sweet and pleasing.

A-anna…CHAN? Who the hell was he to speak to her so informally? She felt the heat rising into her cheeks, her eyebrow twitching furiously, and a vein pulsed dangerously in her forehead as she snatched her notebook back from him. And he had completely ignored her blatant dismissal, as well! The nerve of him! It almost left her speechless! …almost, anyways.

"Give me my book." She hissed dangerously, and she could feel Yoh and Manta cringe by the exit. They were wasting lunch time and Anna was in a bad mood. Not a good combination. Anna continued speaking, "And don't ever speak so casually to me, Asakura-san. It's Kyoyama-san to you."

She snatched her other book from his grasp and stomped off towards her waiting companions, her head held high as she did so. Briskly, she commanded them to follow so they could eat, and her fiancé and the midget exchanged wary looks before following silently.

If this kept up, it would be a long school year.

Lunch went without interruption, and Hao said nothing to her during the few hours of classes that followed that. A relieved Anna believed that he had taken the hint and would leave her alone. When the final bell rang and announced that it was o soji, she joined the throng of students in the hallways to clean the school. O soji…something else that those kids in America didn't have. They never had to join their entire studen body everyday after school to clean up the halls and grounds. It was really the only cleaning she ever did. At home, she had a maid that made her bed and kept her room tidy, along with the rest of the housework. When she and Yoh married, they'd have a maid as well. If not, she would see to it that Yoh knew how to clean house and cook.

Yet when they were given their assignments for the day, the blonde groaned. She and Hao had been assigned to work together this week, to clean the north hall's bathrooms.

Anna twitched.

Hao smirked.

Damn it.

Two days had passed, and o soji was once again upon them. Anna had managed so far to keep conversation with her 'cleaning partner' to a minimal as she scrubbed, even as he happily chattered away to her. Other times, he was perfectly quiet, and simply handed her the supplies she demanded from him. And still other times, he would offer her a break, and take over for her, scrubbing diligently, until the bathroom was cleaned. Their task only took an hour each day, and then they parted ways, Hao always flicking her a wave, and Anna ignoring it and strutting off haughtily.

However, on this particular day, she was at her nerve's end. All day had been spent passing notes back and forth for him and his 'groupies', as she none-so-fondly had named them. Her notes on the lectures were horrible and she didn't catch the homework they had at the end of the period because the groupie next to her had shrieked in delight over something in her note as Sensei had announced it.

And so, the atmosphere in the restroom was tenser than usual: and that meant it was very, very tense.

If that annoying pig Hao noticed, he obviously didn't care, because he hummed to himself as he handed Anna supplies. Somehow, this humming drove her slowly more insane, until she couldn't stand it anymore. She whirled around on him, Windex held threateningly before her as though she might spray that face of his, and snapped.

"What are you in such a good mood about?"

Oh, and he just blinked at her, like he was confused. Like he had no clue what was bothering her ( more than his presence, naturally ). He gave a good natured laugh and brushed a bang from his eyes, which twinkled at her as though this was some sort of joke. "Do I have to have a reason? Ah, but if you want the truth, it's because I get to work along side you, Anna-chan…" Cooed the brunette affectionately, and the Windex dropped from Anna's hand and clanked to the floor.

"I told you, quit daydreaming!" Pale, slender hand drawing back, she whipped it around to slap him harshly across the cheek.

Something very unexpected happened. When the blonde's hand should have made contact with the cheek of the male, instead, something clasped around her wrist.

He had caught her slap, and in an instant, she was whirled and found herself partially pinned against the cool tile wall behind her, Hao's face inches from hers, his eyes narrowed just slightly; she couldn't tell if he was amused or angered, but something about the look he was giving her sent the first spirals of fear down her spine. His voice, when he spoke, seemed calm enough, but there was a tinge in it she couldn't quite name.

"My, my…such a temper." He cooed, and his lips curved into something that reminded her of a smirk. "I was going to wait…but I suppose I can tell you why I'm here, Anna-chan."

She wanted to tell him she didn't give a damn why he was here, but he cut her off.

"You see, I know who you are, and what you are. And I know how to control those little 'gifts' of yours, dear Anna-chan. But you seem so intent to make things between us…_difficult_."

The dark eyes of the blonde widened. He knew? Impossible. He knew nothing about her. This was some sick joke to try to get under her skin, for reasons she didn't know, and didn't want to know. Her left hand, still free, twitched at her side.

"You know nothing about me." She whispered in a calm yet dangerous voice, face devoid of emotion. "And you're so naïve." Free hand making harsh contact with his cheek, she was satisfied when he stumbled back and released her, holding onto the pulsing red flesh. "You forgot about my left!"

-------------------End Chapter---------------------

Woo! The chapter was kind of short, sorry for that! Ok, so that last scene may be familiar to lots of you! Like I said, I'm trying to work in actual tidbits from the original show/manga. What will happen next? How will Hao react? Garuanteed, next chapter is full of suspense, surprises, and twists!

Please read and review!

--------------------------Response to Reviewers----------------------------

**Skyhorse:** Thank you for your compliments! It really encourages me to hear things like that. I promise to keep updating for you!

**Simmie:** Hah, most of the people who read this fic are HaoxAnna fans. Wonder why? Well, I love that pairing too, so I promise you'll get more of it!

**KagomeAnna:** I always thought it was 'daijoubu datte'. Maybe I've been reading too much Naruto? Anways, I'll definitely look into it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention and I hope you keep reading!

**Mrs Asakura Hao**: Yes, Hao-sama! We all love him so much.

**Jenny-R**: I'm glad you like my fic! I'll do my best to keep on updating, if you keep reading and reviewing.

**Little-Anna-Chan**: HEY. You're supposed to be writing that 'My Dark Destiny' fic? Where is the next chapter at? Write more, I'm waiting on you! ahem Yes, Yoh's reaction was just…what I expected little him to think. He wouldn't be too concerned, really. After all, in his mind, 'everything works out eventually'. Please keep reading!

**AND a final note to the dear Koi of mine, reading this: I love you, my Hao-sama.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hah, finally updating! Senior year is kicking my butt, so please forgive how slow I've been.

Also, I'm really wondering if people like this fiction ( other than my usual reviewers ). My one shot has more reviews than this chapter fic. O.o

Oh well, the plot is about to thicken immensely and things are about to get very interesting! Reviewer's responses and a few more notes at the end of the chapter!

**-----------Chapter 4------------**

She took deep breaths as she glared at him, her eyes burning with anger, hatred, and disgust. That should teach him! What kind of sick joke was he playing, anyways? Not once in her life had someone told her that they knew everything about her—not even her own fiancé had said such a thing. It sent a chill through her, but Anna ignored it. He was playing a practical joke. He was trying to get under her skin.

It wasn't going to work.

So it was much to her surprise when Hao smiled at her goofily, one hand still lightly touching that red hand print upon his cheek, where her slap had made contact. There was something about that smile that she didn't trust. She didn't want to stay around to find out what made him grin like that. Who in their right mind would grin after someone slapped them?

But grin he did, and he watched her with an expression that bespoke of amusement and something darker; Anna couldn't place that darkness, and she didn't want to. Turning on her heel, the blonde started to storm from the restroom, but again, a hand gripped her wrist and stopped her in her tracks.

The next moment was a whirlwind. Anna didn't exactly know how, yet before she knew it she was pinned against the wall again, both of her hands trapped above her head by one of his. A million scenes ran through her head, all inspired by books, movies, stories. Scenes of rape and horrible things. She struggled beneath the iron grip but found it a futile attempt; all the while, Hao beamed at her with that smile. "You're not going anywhere, dear Anna-chan..." He purred.

Something in his voice made her stop all attempts at freeing herself. A cold spiral ran down her spine.

"What do you want, Asakura-san?" The blonde wanted to hiss at him, but she was having enough trouble keeping her voice steady and emotionless as it was. For the first time, she was scared. Inches away from her face, Hao licked his lips, and the poor Itako was sure this was going to become the site of some horrible event she thought only existed in movies.

To her horror, Hao began to laugh. He didn't answer her, just laughed, in an obnoxious tone that set a vein pulsing in Anna's forehead. Just what was so funny? What was he plotting? After a few long moments of listening to that annoying sound, she was relieved when the male finally stopped, shaking his dainty head. "Ahaha, Anna-chan! I'm not going to rape you! I simply want to make you listen to me…" He explained, and the dark brown eyes of the blonde widened in shock. How had he known…?

"Its simple, Anna-chan. If you promise not to run away, I'll release you, and tell you everything. Just be a good girl!"

There was a long pause as he awaited the pinned female's response. Should she agree? What would happen if she didn't agree? Did she want to know what would happen? What was so important to go through such great lengths to tell her? And how…how had he known what she was thinking? Deciding it would be best to be cooperative for now, she gave a curt nod that signaled her consent, and immediately felt the release of pressure upon her wrists. Instinctively, she held both to her chest, massaging them softly, still able to feel his hands upon her skin. It was a relief to be freed of that grip, and even more appeasing when her capture of moments of go took a step back, allowing her more room. He gestured towards one of the metal chairs that had been brought in to serve as a stool when reaching supplies, and Anna took her cue to sit.

As soon as the blonde was seated, Hao gave a smile that said he was quite clearly pleased, and seated himself Indian-style before her. "Anna-chan—" he started, but was abruptly cut off.

"It's _Kyoyama-san_, Asakura-san."

"Oh, but of course. I don't see why we need to be so formal, though!"

Ugh. This was going nowhere and his voice, his chiming demeanor, was beginning to grate on her last nerve yet again. She had very little patience left by this point. As if to hint her frustration and discontent, she tapped her foot in a quick, rhythmic pace on the floor, and Hao took notice. Thankfully. His expression became slightly more serious, the smile fading to a mere curve of the lips.

"Ah…I suppose I should start from the beginning, and tell you the whole story, mm? But that will have to wait—O Soji will be done shortly, and I won't be able to tell you the best part!" He began, and Anna narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't like the sound of this already, but what choice did she have?

"Just spit it out, Asakura-san. I don't have all day."

"My, my, so impatient…alright." Slender arms moving behind him to support his body, he looked up towards the ceiling in thought. "You're an Itako, neh, Anna-chan? Of course you are. You already know this… and you possess the Reishii, too. They're such powerful gifts…so powerful, and you could be so powerful, too, Anna-chan."

It was as though time stopped. Anna's heart skipped a few beats. No way could he know that she possessed such gifts. Her face lost all color and her eyes widened. How did he know? It wasn't possible! Only Yoh knew, and Yoh would never have told anyone. He knew how difficult things already were for her. Her mind whirled. What was Hao playing at? Was it some sick joke, one that hit too close to home on accident? Or did he really know? A lumped formed in her throat, and all her attempts to swallow it failed. She had to play this off. He didn't know. He couldn't possibly know.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Asakura-san. You're wasting my time." Snapped the blonde moodily, her voice nicely even and irritated, a point on her part.

"I too possess the Reishii, Anna." He said it so calmly. So calmly, and Anna swallowed hard again. No, he didn't. This was insane. It wasn't possible. She told herself that over and over again, unknowingly shaking her head once. For the first time she could remember, there was a serious sort of silence from Hao and when her brown eyes finally looked at him again, all traces of his smile were gone and those dark eyes that reminded her so much of Yoh held no speck of a joke.

This was real.

She refused to accept it. Finding she had nothing to say—or perhaps it was the fact that her voice was stuck behind the growing lump in her throat, she merely waited for him to continue.

"What I don't understand, Anna-chan, is why you haven't used the Reishii on me all this time." A soft chuckle. "Or rather, _attempted _to use it. It wouldn't have worked, naturally, but you have no way of knowing that. Why don't you open your mind more often, Anna-chan?"

The blonde's mouth opened to say something, but stopped. She didn't have to explain herself to this man, and so she wouldn't. Putting the hardest scowl she could manage on her face, the rate at which she tapped her foot became more pronounced, louder. Hao continued speaking as though she was not growing excruciatingly annoyed.

"Ah, that doesn't matter…you'll tell me eventually. I suppose you have a very good reason, ne? Of course you do. You don't seem the type to do things without good reason. Scratch that…you _aren't _the type to do things without good reason." Here, he paused, as though contemplating something. His next words were chosen very carefully. "Kyoyama-san…I can help you hone your abilities. I can make you stronger. You won't have to fear anymore." His use of her formal name reminded her of how serious he was, even as a smirk that no longer reminded Anna of her fiancé slipped across his features. Something sinister was behind it, but before it could be registered it was gone, replaced by a serene calmness as he contemplated, eyes fastened upon the blonde before him. There was something piercing in that gaze and in the brief yet uncomfortable silence that followed. Anna tried not to show how tense she felt, keeping her expression bored, unimpressed, and unamused. She let him known she thought this was all a very poor joke and really had no idea what he was talking about.

But her mind was whirling. If he was telling the truth, how did he know? And why wouldn't she be able to use the Reishii upon him? How did another upon this planet possess the Reishii, when she had believed it to be a gift so rare that very few diseases could even match this?

Giving into impulse, she opened her mind, aiming all of her ability at Hao. Soon, she would see his thoughts, his heart. Everything would be revealed.

But there was nothing. For the first time, she encountered an empty void. No matter how hard she tried, no thought, no word, no emotion, no feeling penetrated the blackness she encountered.

Hao sensed this, and his lips split into a large grin. "However much you deny it, you know that I am telling you the truth." He stated, and leaned forward to press the tips of his fingers together, elbows resting casually upon his knees. "If you understand that, Kyoyama-san, I can give you the true purpose of why I am here." His eyes moved to hers at this and locked, and Anna found all words stuck in her throat again. She refused to break the gaze, however, trying to hold some part of herself steady and in control. When Hao got no answer, he took this as his permission to continue.

"I want to take you away from all of this. I can give you unlimited training and power; offer you a world where no one can discriminate against you." There was a pause as he stood, regally, and his words seemed to hold something foreboding and ominous, as he stretched his hand out to the wide-eyed girl before him, who had never felt so small in her life. She did not take the offered hand. She stared at it as though it might clench around her throat the next moment and drain the life from her. Hao did not seem discouraged. "Come with me. You can be powerful, so powerful…no one will be able to hurt you again."

Still there was silence from Anna, and the brunette paused his speaking before a smirk of undeniable knowing and scheming lit up his face, eyes coming alive.

"They won't be able to call you a demon anymore."

That did it. Anna snapped. She stood so fast from her chair that it clattered loudly to the floor, the noise echoing off the tile of the walls. Her fist were clenched at her side, nails digging into the skin of her palms, knuckles white. Her voice was a dangerous hiss. "You know nothing about me, Asakura Hao. You know nothing. And if you come near me again, I swear to you, it'll be the last thing you do."

Her feet had carried her to the door before he spoke again, his voice laughing. "You make things so difficult, Anna-chan…"

But Anna didn't comprehend his words. She left the restroom in a huff, slamming the door behind her. And once that door divided her from his sight, she began to run. Her feet pounded against the floor until they had carried her away from the restroom, far away.

She had to find Yoh.

Yoh, meanwhile, had just finished his cleaning in the east hall—the teacher had stuck him with the worst possible task, since Yoh often fell asleep in class. It really wasn't his fault that chemistry made his head hurt. Besides, he could get the notes from Anna or Manta later. Making a face as he dropped the last slipper into the dryer, he slammed it shut, and removed the clothes pin from his nose, rubbing the sore piece of cartridge. No more stinky feet smell. Now, he could go home, and take a nap. His hand was on the handle of the door when it flew open quite suddenly.

It startled him, quite obviously. He stumbled a few steps back, and his surprise doubled at the sight of the girl before him. Anna. Something was wrong. He could sense it. Her chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breathes and her face was red. She had been running—and Anna never ran. "Anna?" His tone was worried. Anna stepped towards him, and it was obvious she was trying to keep up her façade as an Ice Queen—a mask Yoh very rarely saw fall away.

"Yoh—I—I just wanted to make sure that you were finished and not goofing off." She snapped, but there was something behind the icy tone. Something that sounded suspiciously like fear. Yoh didn't buy her excuse at all. He stepped towards her cautiously and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Anna, what's wrong? Did something happen?" His mind went over possibilities at quicker speeds than most thought he could manage; when it came to Anna, his mind always worked a bit harder. He remembered immediately that she was working with Hao, and that she obviously disliked the new student. The brunette himself had to admit that there was something he didn't trust about the man, but he often tried to reserve judgment on people. Still, it was the one thing that he could think would have upset her this much. "Was it Asakura-san? Did he do something to you, Anna?"

The worried tone, the gentle, caring look on her fiancé's face, nearly brought Anna to a full break down, but she tried to stand tall even as she gave a slow nod. "Yoh, he—it's like he knows everything. Everything that he can't know. Why couldn't I read him, Yoh? Why was his mind blank, his heart not speaking to me when I opened myself to receive it? It doesn't make sense!"

She was babbling, she was breaking. Yoh wasn't sure what had happened but it had truly shaken the normally distant and calm blonde. He had never seen her like this. "Anna!"

He called her name to get her to stop, to calm her. Yet she kept going. "He knew about the Reishii. About the names. The names, Yoh! Demon child, demon child…He knew it all! And his eyes—I've never seen a look like that in anyone's eyes!"

"ANNA!" Yoh snapped, shaking her shoulders, and the Itako stopped her ranting, staring up at him with shocked brown eyes. Yoh never yelled at her. He never shook her. It surprised her and brought her rant to an end almost immediately, her hands clenched at her sides in small fists. Yoh sighed, and brushed a blonde bang from her face with the side of his hand. "Anna…please, explain everything. Calmly. Start from the beginning."

A gulp, and she nodded, and began.

Ten minutes later, Anna had finished a detailed account of what had happened in the restroom, leaving not a single piece of dialogue or movement out. When she finally stopped, her normally laid-back fiancé was watching her with slightly glazed eyes; the glaze was not his usual 'I-tuned-out-half-way-through' glaze, but more of a contemplating gaze. He said nothing for a very long moment, and Anna finally broke the silence. "Well?"

"Anna…" He thought over his words again. He definitely did not like this. Most definitely not. Something was very wrong here. "I don't know what he's up to Anna, but I don't think he was joking. Still, no one who possesses the ability to see spirits can be a bad person, ne? Maybe I should talk to him."

That was Yoh. Always looking at the bright side of things; optimism was an ability Anna had never been able to master. They both figured that Hao could see spirits, just as they could, or his knowledge of Anna's abilities would be unexplainable. Besides, he definitely had that aura to him…

Clanking the heels of her shoes against the door of the dryer, which she had assumed as her seat when she began to recount her afternoon to Yoh, the young woman heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't like it at all, Yoh. Something doesn't feel right." Her dark eyes locked with his, and he offered her that sweet, irresistibly goofy smile that always made her melt inwardly, no matter how she hid it on the outside.

"It'll be ok, Anna! Just be careful, and I'll talk to him when I get the chance, ok?" Taking a few quick steps up to her, he brushed the hair from her eyes again, that same smile still there. "I'll make sure everything is alright."

Great Spirits, she wanted to believe him, wanted to trust him. She knew he meant what he said. Yet she couldn't chase the chill, the feeling of something being horribly wrong. Her eyes lowered away from his, breaking the contact. She didn't want to admit that she was scared; of what, she didn't even know anymore. But Yoh knew, and quite suddenly, she felt strong arms around her. It made her stiffen, eyes widening.

Yoh simply let his chin rest atop her head, inhaling the scent of her blonde hair. He felt her stiffen, and then, slowly, she relaxed, and allowed him the privilege of holding her. Neither said a word but it was a cherished moment that Yoh would remember for years to come. His hand stroked soothingly through her locks, and she laid her cheek against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

Suddenly, it seemed that nothing could go wrong.

They were very wrong.

-----------------/End Chapter----------------

**Preview of the next chapter:**

_**What happens when Anna doesn't show up to school the next day, and neither does Hao? When a mysterious note is found on her vanity? And what exactly is the secret of Yoh's family?**_

_**Meanwhile, Anna wakes up in an unfamiliar bed and an unfamiliar world…a world where spirits roam freely and a giant pillar called the 'Great Spirit' looms on the horizon ominously. A reluctant and kidnapped Anna will accept the training offered to her by none other than Hao, with no knowledge of how to return home. Promises are made, intentions brought to the surface, and secrets revealed…**_

**Reader responses:**

**AJ: **Hey. xD Thanks for giving me my fifteenth review. I like nice even multiples of 5. I'm glad you like my writing and I'll keep it up. I have so many ideas for this story, it's just trying to find time to write it! See you at school, and thanks for reading!

**LadyoftheDarkSky: **I'm glad you like it. Please keep reading, and reviewing!

**KagomeAnna: **Ah, HaoxAnna—you'll be getting more of that later in the story, but there will also be YohxAnna, like in this chapter. And I promise you, the end of this story has a twist no one is expecting.

**Little-Anna-Chan: **Update! xD Well, the plot on this one is about to get really intense. I can't wait to read your next chapter, and no worries, I won't tell anyone! feels special

**Jenny-R: ** I was actually planning on having a YohxAnna scene in this chapter even before you asked! Haha, there'll be more, but I can't give too much away. I'm glad you like my fic, and I'll do my best to keep making it 'attractive' for you! Thanks for your reviews!

**Mrs Asakura Hao: **Psh, yeah. Hao is awesome, although he currently seems like the bad guy of the story, mn? Well, I can't tell you too much or I'll reveal my crucial plot! Muwahah! But there will be plenty more ass-kicking scenes, so keep on reading and reviewing.


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